The following detailed guidelines are intended to assist the fieldworker to implement the survey. They are a guide only as it is recognised that each centre is unique and faces different situations and problems. We hope that they may be useful for some centres.
In New Zealand, to identify the age group, centres, schools, children, survey number school term and language used, an ‘office use only’ set of boxes was designed. These boxes were placed at the top right hand side of the front page (example page 185) and ensured that each student, school and centre had a unique number when entering data into a computer.
The questionnaires have a 2 pre-printed in the first box for 6/7 year olds, 4 for primary adults, 1 for secondary school pupils and 3 for adults of secondary students. The language is coded as per page section 20.3 (e.g. 011 for English, 061 for Xhosa). Other boxes were completed by the fieldworker.
The participant number and survey number should be entered before the questionnaires are handed out to the students and recorded on the school lists. The six New Zealand centres were numbered as follows:
CENTRE: | 1 = Auckland | 2 = Wellington |
3 = Christchurch | 4 = Hawke’s Bay | |
5 = Nelson | 6 = Bay of Plenty |
0
2
Example
Enter a unique number between 1 and 99 for each sampled school in each centre. Numbers can be repeated for primary and secondary schools as each form type can be identified by the 1 or 2 in the first box. Start number units the in the right hand box.
0
0
4
1
Example
Enter a unique number from 1 for each sampled child in each school. Start number units in the right hand box. For each school numbering can begin from 1 or continue on from school to school.
1
Example
Enter 1 in the first box for the first send out.
Enter 2 in the first box for the second send out.
The second box is for the School Term or other identifying mark.
The second box, next to the survey number is used for the School Term that the survey was carried out in. This box could also be used to record some other method of identifying the time of year, such as season.
3 |
1 |
Example | Example |
As the students names were not entered onto the computer, the numbers in these boxes proved to be a successful way of keeping track of each questionnaire. The numbers were entered alongside the students name on the class lists and proved a successful tracking method when a questionnaire needed checking at a later date.
Code | Language | Code | Language |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Afrikaans | 38 | Moroccan Arabic |
2 | Albanian | 39 | North Sotho |
3 | Amharic | 40 | Norwegian |
4 | Arabic | 41 | Persian |
5 | Basque | 42 | Polish |
6 | Bulgarian | 43 | Portuguese |
7 | Catalan | 44 | Romanian |
8 | Chinese | 45 | Russian |
9 | Croatian | 46 | Samoan |
10 | Dutch | 47 | Serbian |
11 | English | 48 | Sinhala |
12 | Estonian | 49 | Spanish |
13 | Fijian | 50 | Swedish |
14 | Filipino | 51 | Tagoloa |
15 | Finnish | 52 | Tamil |
16 | French | 53 | Thai |
17 | Georgian | 54 | Tokelauan |
18 | German | 55 | Tongan |
19 | Greek | 56 | Turkish |
20 | Guarani | 57 | Ukrainian |
21 | Gujarati | 58 | Urdu |
22 | Hebrew | 59 | Uzbek |
23 | Hindi | 60 | Vietnamese |
24 | Hungarian | 61 | Xhosa (isiXhosa) |
25 | Indonesian | 62 | Bengali |
26 | Italian | 63 | Zulu (isiZulu) |
27 | Japanese | 64 | Punjabi |
28 | Kannada | 65 | Mandarin |
29 | Korean | 66 | Danish |
30 | Kyrgyz | 67 | Shona |
31 | Latvian | 68 | Ndebele |
32 | Lithuanian | 69 | Setswana |
33 | Macedonian | 70 | Oshiwambo |
34 | Malay | 71 | Otjiherero |
35 | Maltese | 72 | TshiVenda |
36 | Malyalam | 73 | Siswati |
37 | Marathi |
Comment or instructions to respondents
“I’m going to take two measurements – one of your height and the other of your weight. Please take off your shoes”
Measurements are taken on a hard surface135. As only one measurement of height is taken it is very important that the protocol is adhered to.
Definition: The perpendicular distance between the top of the head (the vertex) and the bottom of the feet.
Equipment required: Portable calibrated stadiometer
Figure 1: Head in the Frankfort Plane
Source: Adapted from the ISAK Manual, 2001.
Method
Ask the participant to stand on the centre of the base with their back to the stadiometer. Ask them to put their feet together and move back until their heels touch the bottom of the stadiometer upright. Their buttocks and upper part of their back should also be touching the stadiometer upright. Their head does not have to touch the stadiometer. The participant’s head should be in the Frankfort plane. This is achieved when the lower edge of the eye socket (the Orbitale) is horizontal with the Tragion [see Figure 1]. The vertex will be the highest point on their head. If their head is not aligned properly, (and for most participants it probably won’t be), ask them to raise or lower their chin until it is in the Frankfort Plane.
When you are happy that the participant is in the correct position, ask them to take a deep breath and hold it. Lower the headboard until it is in contact with the head. Compress the hair if needed. Make sure you don’t bend the headboard from the horizontal, nor move the participant’s head. Hold the headboard firmly at its final position and take the reading to the nearest 0.1 cm.
When you have completed the reading, ask the participant to step away from the stadiometer. Record your reading on the questionnaire and note which measurement you used (metres or centimetres or feet and inches). Note: If the respondent is as tall as you, or taller, you will need to stand on a box to judge when the head is in the right position and to take the reading, as both these actions need your eyes to be in the same horizontal plane as the object you are looking at.
Comment or instructions to participants
“Please stand on the centre of the base with your back to the stadiometer. Put your feet together and move them back until your hells touch the back of the stadiometer. Stand up straight and look straight ahead.” (If their head is not horizontal, say…) “Please raise (or lower) your chin. Take a deep breath and hold it. That’s fine you can breathe normally now and step away from the stadiometer”.
Definition:
Weight is the force the matter in the body exerts in a standard gravitational field.
Equipment required:
Calibrated weighing scales
Setting the scales
Place the scales on a hard flat surface135. If carpet is the only floor covering in the measurement location, put a board down on the carpet and place the scales on the board.
Method
As only one measurement is taken it is important that this protocol is adhered to. Press firmly on the centre of the scales to turn them on. Once the zeros appear, ask the Participant to stand on the scales. Ask the participant to stand on the centre of the scales without support, with their arms loosely by their sides, head facing forward and with their weight distributed evenly on both feet. A reading will appear in a few seconds. The numbers will change, and then stop. Once the numbers have stopped, take the reading to the nearest 0.1 kg.
Ask the participant to step off the scale. Record the reading on the questionnaire and mark which measurement was used (kilograms or stones or pounds).
Comment or instructions to respondents
“Wait until it reads zero.”
“Please step onto the centre of the scale with your weight on both feet.”
“Relax.”
“Thank you. You can step off now.”
This document has been updated and additional information is required. The updated version is available from the GAN Global Centre (info@globalasthmanetwork.org).
Country Name:__________Country and Centre Number:_________
Centre Name:_______________________ Age group:______________________________
Principal Investigator:________________Dates of data collection:____________________
National Coordinator:________________Date report completed:______________________
(if applicable)
Local ethical approval granted: Date:______________________________
Name of Local Ethics Committee:____NB: See online centre Report for additional information required______
1 SAMPLING FRAME AND SCHOOLS
1.1 Which of the sampling frame categories is most appropriate for your study?:
Note: The sampling frame is the geographic area from which the schools were selected, as well as other criteria that defines which schools were available for selection.
Please tick the box that best describes your sampling frame:
1.2 Please describe the sampling frame for your centre:
Note: Please use similar terms to those in these examples: “All schools in the Auckland area; Some schools in the Western Health District”; “Private schools in the Canterbury region”.
1.3. Have you sent a detailed map showing the boundaries of your Phase One centre to the GAN Global Centre?
Ideally, the map will be a vector or shape file compatible with Geographic Information Software such as ArcGIS (available from http://www.arcgis.com/). If this is not possible, a hand drawn and scanned map drawn on a commercial street map or printout of google maps or similar will be acceptable.
NB: If this centre participated in ISAAC please check with the GAN Global Centre to enquire if the ISAAC map provided was of sufficient quality to be used for this study
If you require further information regarding this format please contact us. info@globalasthmanetwork.org
1.4 Were any schools excluded from the sampling frame before being approached to participate?
For example, schools might be excluded if the researchers know that they are located in areas with difficult access or if the children are unable to participate. These schools would then be left out of the sampling frame and not included in the selection process.
1.5 If yes, please give your reasons why these schools were excluded from the sampling frame.
1.6 Did you reject any schools after they had been selected?
For example a school may have elected to participate and you then found that the students were unable to complete the questionnaire because they were disabled.
1.7 Please give your reasons why you rejected these schools
1.8 How many students (of your selected age group) were there in the rejected schools? _____________
1.9 Please give:
A - The total number of schools (for this age group) in your selected sampling frame? _____________
B - The total number of children (for this age group), that were in the schools in the sampling frame? _____________
1.10 Did you approach all schools (for this age group) in your sampling frame?
If you answered No:
1.11 Were the schools selected using a random sampling method?
1.12 Was there stratification by school type, followed by random sampling of schools?
For example, you may have stratified the population according to whether they attend public or private schools.
1.13 If the schools were not selected using a random sampling method, please describe the method used
2 CLASSES AND CHILDREN
2.1 Which overall approach did you use when selecting children within the schools?
Please refer to attached notes for clarification.
2.2 If you answered ‘Other’ for question 2.1 please describe your approach to selecting children within the schools:
2.3 Which children were selected from the grade/level/year or age group?
2.4 If you answered ‘some children’ to question 2.3 please describe how these children were selected.
2.5 How many grades/levels/years or years of age did you select?
2.6 If you answered ‘other’ to question 2.5 please describe how many grades/levels/years or years of age you selected.
3 DATA ENTRY
3.1 Was the data double entered or scanned?
Double entry is a common method of data entry that minimises data entry errors and it is expected that at least 10% of the data is double entered. The data is entered two times, preferably by two different people. The two versions of the data set are compared and any differences checked against the original questionnaire.
If you answered ‘YES’ please go to question 4.
3.2 If you answered ‘NO’ to question 3.1, please describe the data entry method you used
If you answered ‘YES’ to question 3.3
3.3A Please describe your method for checking for data entry errors
4 CHANGES TO DATA AFTER DATA ENTRY
4.1 Were any changes made to the demographic data after the questionnaires were completed?
The demographic data is the information concerning the age, sex, date of birth and date of interview for each child. You may have changed this data if there was incorrect information written and you had checked this against the information available from the school. You may also have made corrections at the request of the GAN Global Centre.
4.2 If you answered yes to question 4.1, please describe the changes made to the demographic data.
If you answered ‘NO’ to question 4.3, please go to question 5, participation rates
4.4 If you answered ‘YES’ to question 4.3, were these changes due to data entry error?
If you answered ‘YES’, to question 4.4, please go to question 5, participation rates.
4.5 If No: Please describe the reasons why you changed the data.
4.6 What percent of the observations had changes made to the asthma, rhinitis, eczema or video questionnaire? _____________
4.7 Can the data be returned to its original form?
4.8 Has a copy of the data without the changes been submitted to the GAN Global Centre
(if ‘NO’ could you please send a copy to the GAN Global Centre)
4.9 Have you kept a copy of the data without the changes?
5 PARTICIPATION RATES
5.1 How many schools participated in your centre? __________
5.2 What was the total number of children selected to participate in these schools? __________
5.3 Did you include children younger and older than the age group?
5.3A. Has the data from these children been included in the data submitted to the GAN Global Centre?
5.3B. If NO, is this data available on request by the GAN Global Centre?
5.4 How many schools refused to participate after they had been selected? _______
(answer 0 if no schools refused to participate).
5.4A. How many students of your selected age group were there in the schools that refused to participate? _______
5.5 What is the total number of students that participated? This will be the same number as in the data that has been submitted to the GAN Global Centre. _______
5.6 How many students (or parents) did not participate? This answer and the answer to question 5.5 should add up to the number you gave for question 5.2. _______
5.7 Did you have any difficulties getting the number of children that you needed for the required participation rate?
If Yes – What difficulties did you encounter?
5.9 How many parents/guardians participated in this survey _______
6. TRANSLATION OF QUESTIONNAIRES
6.1 Did you use the English language questionnaire for this age group?
6.2 Did you use any translations of the English language questionnaire for this age group?
If you answered ‘NO’ please go to question 7
6.3 How many languages were used in your centre for this age group?6.4 Please name the languages that you used for this age group
6.5 Did you develop the translation/s in your centre?
6.5A. If you answered No to question 6.5, where did you obtain these?
Centre Name: _____________
Collaborators Name _____________
Now, please go to question 7
6.7 Were the local community approached to help with difficult words and concepts?
6.8 Were other centres in the country or region involved in preparation of the translated questionnaires?
6.9 If you answered Yes to question 6.8, please list the other centres
6.10 Were the translated questionnaires translated back to English by an independent translator?
If yes, please give name:___________________________
6.11 Were the translated questionnaires pilot tested?
6.12 Has a copy of the translation been sent to the GAN Global Centre?
(If a copy has not yet been sent, we would appreciate receiving a copy).
6.13 Could you please give the proportion of questionnaires that were used in each language
% Language
7. VIDEO (For older age group only)
7.1 Did you use the international video in all the secondary schools that you went to?
7.1A If No, please give the reasons why it was not used
7.2 How many schools did the video questionnaire? _____________
7.3 How many schools did NOT do the video questionnaire? _____________
7.4 How many children completed the video questionnaire? _____________
7.5 What spoken language(s) was (were) used for the video questionnaire? (please specify)
8. Additional questions
8.1 Did you use additional questions following the Core questions for either age group?
If yes could you please send a copy of these questions to the GAN Global Centre.
Thank you for completing this report. This will enable the ISAAC International GAN Global Centre to accurately document the methodology for each centre for the analysis and writing of manuscripts. The GAN Global Centre would appreciate this Centre Report being returned to the GAN Global Centre by either fax 64 9 3737602 or by post. We will enter the details into our database and send you a completed copy for you to check and keep for your records.
Best wishes from Philippa Ellwood, Eamon Ellwood and Innes Asher.
The GAN Global Centre
Department of Paediatrics: Child and Youth Health, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand.
Email: info@globalasthmanetwork.org
Phone 64 9 3737599 extension 6451:Fax 64 9 3737602
The demographic information given by the students can ideally be checked against the information supplied by the school e.g. date of birth and age at the finish of the survey when the height and weight measurements are taken (see 8). Any wrong information given by the student or the school can then be checked.
If the Adult questionnaire is used, it is vital that the questionnaires can be linked to the adolescent survey by adding the adult questionnaire numbers to the adolescent survey. Please see the data coding section and “identifying boxes for office use only” in section 20. Two Adult questionnaires are issued and it must be made clear that if there is only one adult in the household, the second questionnaire must be returned to the school together with the completed Adult questionnaire with the adolescent that brought them home for completion.
The two possible methods of sending the questionnaires home for adult completion are:Option One: Handing out the blank surveys to the class (or age group) and requesting that they take these home for their parent/guardian to complete. The questionnaires will be returned to school by the same mechanism. The fieldworker later marks those who have returned them off against the students name on the lists provided by the school and creates a chart for those that did not complete the survey. This chart is then presented to each teacher on the second visit or posted prior to the second visit and the reason noted down.
Option Two: Sending the information letters and ADULT questionnaires to parents/guardians by email, according to the wishes and processes of the school. These are completed on line and returned to school via email.
If, on the second visit, the researcher surveys a class or classes that had been absent at camp or away entirely, they should be classified as first surveys and only the students who were absent from their class on the first visit, will be second surveys (if centres are collecting this information). See chart below for recording absentees.
Reasons for non participation
Student Name |
Class Number |
Absent |
Not in age group |
Refusal |
Joe B |
AR |
√ |
||
Sam T |
AR |
√ 12 years |
||
Andy G |
BT |
√ |
||
Mark S |
GF |
√ 15 years |
||
Philip R |
GF |
√ |
||
Michael T |
GF |
√ verbal from student |
Some students will ask questions relating to their understanding of the questions or the response required during the survey conducted in secondary schools.
The teacher(s) should not be involved in explaining the study or the method of answering questions. This must be the responsibility of the research field worker(s) who have been carefully briefed.
The principles to follow are:
If a student with learning difficulties has a helper who wishes to assist that child, the above guidelines should be followed.
Question 1
Have you ever had wheezing or whistling in the chest at any time in the past?
Stage 1
Student response: “What is wheezing or whistling?”
Researcher response to individual student only, say aloud but in a quiet voice:
“Have you ever had wheezing or whistling in the chest at any time in the past?” (i.e. read the question exactly as it is written).
Stage 2
Student response: “What is wheezing or whistling?”
Question 1 continued
Researcher response to individual student only, say aloud but in a quiet voice:
“Words mean different things to different people. I want to know what you understand by this. Interpret it the best you can.”
Stage 3
Student response: “I don’t understand wheezing or whistling.”
Researcher response to individual student only, say aloud but in a quiet voice:
“Wheezing or whistling is related to your breathing. You would probably know if you have had it.”
Stage 4
Student response: “I still don’t understand this. I don’t know if I have ever had it.”
Researcher response to individual student only, say aloud but in a quiet voice:
“If you really don’t know then leave it blank.”
Question 6
Have you ever had asthma?
Stage 1
Student response: “What is asthma?”
Researcher response to individual student only, say aloud but in a quiet voice:
“Have you ever had asthma?” (i.e. read the question exactly as it is written).
Stage 2
Student response: “What is asthma?”
Researcher response to individual student only, say aloud but in a quiet voice:
“Words mean different things to different people. I want to know what you understand by this. Interpret it the best you can.”
Stage 3
Student response: “I don’t understand asthma.”
Researcher response to individual student only, say aloud but in a quiet voice:
“Asthma is related to your breathing. You would probably know if you have had it.”
Stage 4
Student response: “I still don’t understand this. I don’t know if I have ever had it.”
Researcher response to individual student only, say aloud but in a quiet voice:
“If you really don’t know then leave it blank.”
Question 16
In the last 12 months have you had a dry cough at night, apart from a cough associated with a cold or chest infection?
Stage 1
Student response: “What is a dry cough?”
Researcher response to individual student only, say aloud but in a quiet voice:
“In the last 12 months have you had a dry cough, apart from a cough associated with a cold or chest infection?” (i.e. read the question exactly as it is written).
Stage 2
Student response: “What is a dry cough?”
Researcher response to individual student only, say aloud but in a quiet voice:
“Words mean different things to different people. I want to know what you understand by this. Interpret it the best you can.”
Stage 3
Student response: “I don’t understand what a dry cough is.”
Researcher response to individual student only, say aloud but in a quiet voice:
“It is not a wet one. There is no phlegm. It is just a dry cough. You would probably know if you have had it.”
Stage 4
Student response: “I still don’t understand this. I don’t know if I have ever had it.”
Researcher response to individual student only, say aloud but in a quiet voice:
“If you really don’t know then leave it blank.”
Question 22
Have you ever had hay fever?
Stage 1
Student response: “What is hay fever?”
Researcher response to individual student only, say aloud but in a quiet voice:
“Have you ever had hay fever?” (i.e. read the question exactly as it is written).
Stage 2
Student response: “What is hay fever?”
Researcher response to individual student only, say aloud but in a quiet voice:
“Words mean different things to different people. I want to know what you understand by this. Interpret it the best you can.”
Stage 3
Student response: “I don’t understand hay fever.”
Researcher response to individual student only, say aloud but in a quiet voice:
“Hay fever affects your nose. You would probably know if you have had it.”
Stage 4
Student response: “I still don’t understand this. I don’t know if I have ever had it.”
Researcher response to individual student only, say aloud but in a quiet voice:
“If you really don’t know then leave it blank.”
Question 29
Have you ever had eczema?
Stage 1
Student response: “What is eczema?”
Researcher response to individual student only, say aloud but in a quiet voice:
“Have you ever had eczema? (i.e. read the question exactly as it is written).
Stage 2
Student response: “What is eczema?”
Researcher response to individual student only, say aloud but in a quiet voice:
“Words mean different things to different people. I want to know what you understand by this. Interpret it the best you can.”
Stage 3
Student response: “I don’t understand eczema.”
Researcher response to individual student only, say aloud but in a quiet voice:
“Eczema affects your skin. You would probably know if you have had it.”
Stage 4
Student response: “I still don’t understand this. I don’t know if I have ever had it.”
Researcher response to individual student only, say aloud but in a quiet voice:
“If you really don’t know then leave it blank.”
Research staff and field workers should not use the term “asthma” when testing in the school. The phrase “breathing” or “a survey about breathing, skin and nose problems” are acceptable terms to use prior to showing the video.
The video questionnaire consists of questions, relating to five video scenes of young people with breathing problems. The questions require yes/no answers.
The video questionnaire starts with an initial introductory section, which is read out. The first video scene is introduced and then shown.
Following this video scene, the video screen becomes blank, and a three part question relating to the scene just viewed, is read out. This sequence of scene introduction, followed by showing the scene, then followed by a three part question relating to the scene, is repeated for each of the five scenes.
The whole video takes 7 minutes to show.
See section 7 for the verbal instructions that are to be read out as the video is played to the 13/14 year old students.
The centre number and the school number can be entered later. Mistakes will not occur as long as the school name has been stamped on the questionnaire. However, some may prefer to enter all the numbers at the time of first issue.
If the questionnaires are given to the children to take home, this is a step by step procedure for the 6/7 year age group.
Thank you very much for your assistance. Would you please ask the children to return these surveys by …./…./2015. This information is on the letter for the parent enclosed in the questionnaire. Would you please give them a (?sticker [‘prize’]) when they return the survey.
Note: Reissue returned BLANK SURVEYS on the premise that it could have been left in the child’s bag and returned to get the ‘prize’. A POSITIVE NO from the parent/guardian on the questionnaire would stop a reissue. Because of privacy issues, some parents may not want the school to collect the completed questionnaire – New Zealand had a good response from the 2nd issue with the envelope provided.
Note on the class lists of the surveys not returned and those returned blank and keep a record of the reissue date. If Adult questionnaires are returned blank together with completed Adult and Child Questionnaires, record the number of the blank adult questionnaire alongside the completed child questionnaire so these can be linked.
Example of how the ‘office use only’ boxes are used to record any corrections made to the Demographic data. This ensures that any changes made are legitimate and can be identified and checked if necessary.
Signature of Researcher_________________ |
Question | Reason for Change |
Office use only
1
1
06
0193
12
036
Primary, centre 1, school 6, child 193, 1st survey, term 2, Spanish language
Age | Age given did not match the DOB given. Checked with school DOB correct therefore age changed by Researcher. |
1
1
10
0004
11
011
DOB |
DOB and age did not match up. Checked with School. Q Had wrong DOB, therefore DOB changed by researcher. |
1
1
18
0006
21
001
Date |
The Date given by parent had wrong year (1892 instead of 1992). Researcher changed to reflect the correct date. |
A full page of these blank boxes can be generated (and then photocopied for multiple copies) and hand completed by the person checking the questionnaires. This enables an up to date record to be kept of any changes and these pages can them be examined if there is a query regarding the changes.
Note: This manual has been updated as of 10 September 2015. If you visited or downloaded the manual before this date, please replace it with this latest version.
Note: If the pdf opens in an internet browser rather than with Adobe Acrobat Reader, in some browsers some of the formatting may not display correctly - for example the boxes in section 20.1 may not show up. If you have difficulty viewing the pdf document in your browser, please right click the link above and choose "save link as" from the list of options. This will allow you to save the pdf to your computer and open it using Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Our network has been targeted by an email scam. If you receive any unusual requests for assistance from any of the steering group members, please ignore it.
These emails are a common scam that has also targeted many other organisations. Please note we will never make any request for financial assistance from our collaborators. If you have any questions please contact us at info@globalasthmanetwork.org